Long time Reefer looking to start anew.

[ExitTrauma]

Hello community, this is going to be a rather long post. I’m looking for advice on what to do.

I have been in this hobby off and on for many decades. I am 45 years old and I’m wanting to start another build, however I don’t want the level of commitment I have had in the past. My last two complicated builds ended in total catastrophe with both tanks springing leaks in the bottom resulting in significant repairs and damage both times. My wife has been giving me the bombastic side eye for the past couple weeks as she has seen me getting my old equipment out of storage and cleaning it all up. For the sake of our marriage and my own sanity, I’m looking for something smaller, and simpler. This means no SPS, no insane automation, no huge tank either. The problem is that most of my gear is grossly oversized for a small build. So I’m kinda looking for advice here on what to do.

I got a 20 gallon long on sale with the thought of either I could use that as a small display, or if I want to go bigger I could use it as a sump. For now, I would like to use it as a display. The question here is, should I drill this thing and run a sump? Or try to do this sumpless? If I run a sump with it, I can use most of my other equipment, but if I do it sumpless I’ll have to also be skimmer less since the only skimmer I have is a bubble magus curve 9.

The main reason I want a smaller tank is I don’t want to deal with a RO/DI. I had a huge automated RO/DI setup that I have since taken down, and I don’t want to go down that road again. I was hoping to just handle the water changes buying RO water from the store.

Livestock wise, in regard to corals, I’m thinking just some softies and some easy LPS. I’m not sure about fish, I’m either going to get one predator like a small angler or smaller community fish. Nothing wild.

So, opinions on what I should do? How should I go about this new build?

Thanks for reading.

 

[griss]

I personally prefer to have a sump. It provides for additional water volume (less likely to have swing in temp, pH, etc) as well as a place to hide equipment. If it were me, I find for mid sized tanks a 40 breeder is ideal (that's what I currently have) in that they have a nice footprint and moderate size. If you were to go that route, you could drill the 40 and use the 20 as a sump. Modular Marine sells sump and refugium kits.

Reusing your existing equipment for a 20 gallon tank may not be practical as you mentioned. For example, the Bubble Magus Curve 9 is rated for 238-396 gallon aquariums. That, IMO, is way overkill for a 20 gallon tank. That said, a lot of people are very successfully running tanks without skimmers.

What kind of lighting do you have from your previous setups.

I think your plan for softies and LPS along with a few fish sound solid.

 

[ExitTrauma]

I personally prefer to have a sump. It provides for additional water volume (less likely to have swing in temp, pH, etc) as well as a place to hide equipment. If it were me, I find for mid sized tanks a 40 breeder is ideal (that's what I currently have) in that they have a nice footprint and moderate size. If you were to go that route, you could drill the 40 and use the 20 as a sump. Modular Marine sells sump and refugium kits.

Reusing your existing equipment for a 20 gallon tank may not be practical as you mentioned. For example, the Bubble Magus Curve 9 is rated for 238-396 gallon aquariums. That, IMO, is way overkill for a 20 gallon tank. That said, a lot of people are very successfully running tanks without skimmers.

What kind of lighting do you have from your previous setups.

I think your plan for softies and LPS along with a few fish sound solid.

Would it still be possible, you think, to get away without a R/O unit with this kind of volume?

 

[Reefing102]

I’ll drop my 2 cents in here:

In my opinion and RO unit is well worth the investment if you plan on long term, unless you have an LFS that sells RO or you buy distilled/purified by the gallon.

As for the tank, a 20 is suitable but that small I wouldn’t run a sump. A sump is great to store the equipment and I’d probably do a 40 as well (currently 50% off at Petco) and then run the 20 as a sump.

I don’t run a skimmer most of the time and have SPS soo yea

 

[griss]

I will never be without an RODI unit while in the hobby. But, with a 20 or 40, if you have a LFS that sells RODI, you’d be fine without one.

Remember, there is NO one correct way to have a successful reef. Many people do things in different ways and are very successful.

 

[ExitTrauma]

thanks all for the feedback.

So I think I am just going to use the 20 as a small display and just buy RO water from the LFS. No drilling, no sump, no skimmer.

So here’s the plan:

Equipment:
20 long tank
Heater
Apex (salinity, light and temp control)
ATO (controlled with apex via dual float switch)
pump (for current only)
ReefBreeders LED pendant

That’s probably the simplest, smallest setup I’ve ever had.

Sound like a plan?

 

[Reefing102]

That sounds like a plan to me. I’m guessing you already have the apex?

 

[griss]

Sounds good. When you get going, please start a Build thread so we can follow along.

 

[ExitTrauma]

That sounds like a plan to me. I’m guessing you already have the apex?

Yes, it’s an older model and I’m not sure if it even works or still supported, I haven’t got to it yet to clean it up and test it.

Happy thanksgiving everyone!

And yes I will 100% post a build thread.

 

[Reefing102]

I believe most models are still supported it’s just the older gear is harder to come by

 

[griss]

I believe most models are still supported it’s just the older gear is harder to come by

This

 

[ExitTrauma]

I believe most models are still supported it’s just the older gear is harder to come by

That’s great to hear. I’m off work for the thanksgiving break. Taking today off to cook, but tomorrow I plan to break back into stuff cleaning and testing.